Amid Spike In Dengue Cases, 3 Hotspots Identified In Bhubaneswar; Sanitation Drive Intensified

Bhubaneswar: Amid a spike in dengue cases in Bhubaneswar after the onset of monsoon, the civic authorities have identified Old Town, Salia Sahi, and IRC Village areas as three hotspots in the state capital.

As for information shared by Health department officials, as many as 175 cases of dengue have been reported so far from 18 districts of the state.

Of these, 93 dengue cases have been reported from Khurda district while over 80 cases are from areas under the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC). The spike in dengue cases has now prompted the authorities of BMC to intensify sanitation measures.

Apart from stepping up sanitation measures, the civic body has launched a massive dengue awareness drive in different parts of the city. Anganwadi and ASHA workers, members of SHGs and NGOs are also associated in the drive, sources said.

As dengue cases have started increasing in some parts of the city, fogging activities have been intensified. There are some places that have turned hotspots and the civic body is now concentrating on these areas and taking all possible measures to identify and destroy breeding sources, they said.

New fogging machines are also being arranged as the BMC is planning to further intensify the drive against dengue.

Dengue, a vector-borne decease is caused by aedes aegypti mosquito which breeds in clean water accumulated on hard surfaces. Therefore, officials of the Health department as well as BMC have requested the people to clear any puddle or accumulation of water from their surroundings, especially from places like water-coolers and tyres.

As per the directions of the Union government, free testing facility of dengue is being done at various government hospitals.

A standard operating procedure (SOP) has been issued for all districts as a precautionary measure. Clear instructions have been issued to hospitals and medical colleges to keep beds, medicine and platelets stock ready for dealing with any situation, an official said.